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CHUKAI – When northeast monsoon season arrives, big waves and strong winds cause concerns among fishermen – but for fans of water surfing, it is the time they have been waiting for.
For surfers, the bigger the waves, the higher their adrenaline will be in showing their skills as the “conqueror” of waves.
A fan of the extreme sport, Kamil Izzat Hazmi Mahmud, 25, is prepared to drive for a distance of 333km from Damansara, in Kuala Lumpur, despite the uncertain weather conditions, just to go to Teluk Kalong, here, to “tame the violent waves” there.
“Usually when the northeast monsoon starts, which is November to March, the coastal areas on east coast states – including Cherating and Teluk Kalong – are the focus of surfers because of the waves.
“My love for the sport started in December last year after seeing my friends’ surfing skills when we were on vacation at Cherating Beach. That made me start learning to surf,” he said.
He describes water surfing as safer and with less risk of injury, compared to skateboarding.
For those new to the extreme sport, Kamil suggested that they use a “soft-top” type board because it is lighter and floats easily.
“The soft-top is softer and ‘foamy’, and the price is even cheaper which is between RM800 to RM900. It is different from the ‘hard-top’ which usually costs around RM1,000 and the texture is smoother,’ he said.
Meanwhile, a surfer from Teluk Kalong, Mohammad Nazmie Saidin, 27, said that the sport is becoming popular among the local young people, prompting him to become an instructor.
“It is to produce more new talents who can not only represent the state (Terengganu) but also the country one day,” he said, adding that his surfing class is free of charge. – Bernama, December 25, 2022